Superstar From Age 0

After the second episode of [Chicks in the Forest] aired, people waited for the next episode with different perspectives.

-Hello, PD Kang.

Kang Soo-jung, the PD who was in the editing room for the third episode, received a phone call and shivered at the sweet voice that came through. What's wrong with this person? She looked at the phone screen again, but the name didn't change.

[DD Electronics Manager]

He was the manager in charge of the kitchen appliances PPL for [Chicks in the Forest]. He was also a person who had a stiff voice and attitude instead of a sweet one. But she thought he was a decent person because he didn't interfere with the editing.

‘My standards for a decent person seem too low…’

That's what happens when you’re in the broadcasting industry.

“Yes, sir. What can I do for you?”

Kang Soo-jung asked with a puzzled expression, hiding her curiosity.

-Hahaha. I watched the broadcast yesterday. It was really good, as expected from PD Kang. The editing was superb. Fishing? Is that what you call it? I was also on tenterhooks.

…Aha.

Kang Soo-jung's eyes sparkled as she looked at the scenes where DD Electronics appeared in the third episode footage.

“PD Kang…”

Then, the assistant director came into the editing room and saw Kang Soo-jung on the phone. He went out quietly and closed the door. A passing PD widened his eyes at him.

“What's wrong? Why didn't you go in?”

“PD Kang is on the phone.”

“Oh… Is it the PPL manager?”

“The PPL manager?”

The assistant director tilted his head and the PD who was Kang Soo-jung's colleague nodded.

“Yeah. PPL is when you show the brand in the broadcast and have the cast use it for a few seconds or minutes, right? But since Lee Seo-jun, who is more popular than the cast, appeared on the show, the situation has changed a lot.”

“But we didn't tell Lee Seo-jun about the PPL products that day, did we?”

It was a sudden shooting, so they didn't have time for that. Besides, PPL and Lee Seo-jun had nothing to do with each other. The contract only mentioned four cast members.

“That's true, but he must have used some of them. He cooked in the kitchen, right? Then he must have used kitchen appliances.”

“Yes, that's true.”

“For example… Lee Seo-jun must have used a refrigerator.”

“Yes.”

The assistant director nodded.

“Then PD Kang can either edit out Lee Seo-jun taking out ingredients from the refrigerator or edit it longer as if it were a refrigerator commercial. Make sure the brand is visible from different angles.”

“…I see.”

“That's why he's calling. He wants to show Lee Seo-jun and his promotional products together on air. The viewers will be curious about what they are. It's also good for reporting to the company. It's Lee Seo-jun, after all. Lee Seo-jun. He can get overseas ads on his own.”

“…Wow…”

The assistant director exclaimed. He just watched it for fun, but other people were thinking like that while watching the show.

“How much would it cost to use Lee Seo-jun for an ad? No, it's lucky if you can use him at all. Lee Seo-jun has no interest in ads at all. But this is a perfect opportunity. It will be cheaper than Lee Seo-jun's estimated ad fee but have a similar effect.”

“That's true.”

“But the broadcast time is fixed and there are more than one or two PPL products. That's the problem. They have to be edited as long and as cool as possible without interfering with the broadcast. Then they can invest more or buy more ads. Or they can promise to invest in the next work.”

This was how things changed with just one appearance of a superstar.

“Lee Seo-jun will appear until episode four, right? Then he’ll be calling a lot until the next editing.”

“I guess so.”

The PD agreed with him.

It would be better to find out in advance which scenes of Lee Seo-jun's footage had PPL products.

***

“Ha-rang's mom must have had a hard time.”

“I know, right?”

Monday.

At an apartment complex daycare center where Yu Ha-rang, the youngest child among [Chicks in the Forest] cast members, attended.

The mothers who brought their children were chatting.

“Ha-rang is not that bad… but my child doesn't eat well either.”

“My child is similar to Ha-rang. He won't eat no matter what.”

The mothers of the children who didn't eat well sympathized with each other.

“Ha-rang looked like he was losing weight last time I saw him.”

“My child too. He loses weight and has no strength if he doesn't eat. He has no immunity and gets sick often.”

“Right. Even herbal medicine didn't work.”

“Oh, there's Ha-rang!”

“Ha-rang!”

The children who were waiting for their friends in front of the daycare center waved their hands vigorously.

The mothers turned their heads with worried expressions.

And they opened their eyes wide.

Ha-rang, who was walking with his mother's hand, looked completely different from last week.

He wasn't skinny and his face wasn't thin or pale. His face was plump and healthy.

He walked with energy. He was totally different from the Ha-rang they saw on TV two days ago.

“Mommy! Hi!”

Ha-rang greeted his mother and ran to his friends. His movements were also full of energy.

The mothers couldn't take their eyes off him. There was no such change as this.

“…Ha-rang's mom.”

“Hmm?”

Ha-rang's mother, who was looking at Ha-rang and his friends greeting the teacher with a smile, turned around.

The mothers had astonished expressions on their faces.

“What happened? Ha-rang has changed so much!”

“I know, right! I thought he was a different child!”

“Right! He doesn't look like a child who doesn't eat! His complexion is good too!”

Ha-rang's mother smiled brightly at the mothers who knew how little Ha-rang ate.

The broadcasting station sent her a video last Saturday, which she showed to Ha-rang with doubt.

Surprisingly, ha-rang ate very well when he watched the mukbang video, and the nutrients in the food started to change his body inside and out this weekend.

The change was like a dream. And the couple cried.

They thought Ha-rang was a quiet and gentle child, but he was just too weak to show his personality.

Ha-rang's mother choked up again as she recalled Ha-rang playing energetically.

“How did you do it? Did you find a dish that suits his taste?”

“Or did you change his supplements?”

The mothers of children who didn't eat well like Ha-rang looked at Ha-rang's mother with desperate expressions.

She understood their feelings and opened her mouth. She felt relieved because she got a message from PD Kang that it was okay to tell them.

“Well… The broadcasting station sent me a video. But Ha-rang eats really well when he watches it.”

“…A video?”

The mothers’ faces became bewildered at the answer that was different from their expectations.

Ha-rang's mother nodded and smiled as if she understood.

“Yes. Like a baby mukbang!”

!!

Who wouldn't know that amazing video?

The mothers quickly grasped the situation.

“Is, is that true?”

“That's not until 20 months, right?”

“Yeah. There was a six-year-old among the kids who appeared in it. They said it worked for him too.”

The mothers opened their mouths wide.

“Oh my!”

“Six years old?!”

“And it also works for picky eaters. Of course, you have to cut it small and hide it well. He used to pick them out and not eat them, but not anymore.”

“Oh my!!”

“Picky eaters too?!”

That was like a magical video.

The mothers’ eyes sparkled.

“Ha-rang's mom. Can you send me that video too?”

“Me too!”

“Can you send it to me too?”

Ha-rang's mom opened her mouth with an apologetic expression at the sight of the enthusiastic mothers.

“But this is going to be broadcasted, so I can't leak it. The only thing I can share is a one-minute video, is that okay?”

The producer Kang Soo-jung had only agreed to share a one-minute video.

The mothers thought for a moment and nodded their heads.

“That's okay. It's going to be on air, so there's nothing we can do.”

“If it's one minute, we just have to replay it ten times.”

“Right. Baby mukbang also works when you repeat it.”

As Ha-rang's mom sent the video through Banana Talk, the mothers quickly checked the video.

The main character was actor Lee Seo-jun.

The star of baby mukbang had filmed another mukbang.

They didn't know if it would work for their own kids, but maybe that's why they trusted it.

“Should we ask the teacher to show it to the kids at lunchtime?”

“That would be great!”

As the mothers headed inside the daycare center, ha-rang's mom turned around to go to work.

That's when someone spoke to Ha-rang's mom.

“Excuse me, hello. Ma’am.”

“Oh, hello.”

Ha-rang's mom blinked her eyes.

He was a stranger. If he was Ha-rang's friend's father, she would have known…

“Are you a father of a three-and-a-half-year-old?”

“No, no. My son is in the four-and-a-half-year-old class. I just… overheard your conversation. If it's okay with you… can you send me the video too?”

Ha-rang's mom smiled brightly at the desperate father.

***

As reporters and the public flooded the internet waiting for [Chicks in the Forest] episode 3 to air, rumors of a magical video were circulating around the nation's mom cafes.

-Is there another video like baby mukbang?

=I only heard it from rumors too, but they say so.

=But why isn't it on YouTube?

=That's because it's a broadcast station video, so they can't upload it, and the broadcast station hasn't uploaded any related videos yet because it hasn't aired yet.

=22 So only people who know about it are using it secretly.

-Does it work?

=It does! It covers from babies to seven-year-olds.

=Oh my!! What kind of show is that?

=It's [Chics in the Forest] on KBC Saturday 9 p.m.

=I have to watch it??

-I heard from someone who heard from someone that this video is also Lee Seo-jun mukbang?

=??Lee Seo-jun??

=It seems right. Lee Seo-jun also appears in Chick Class.

=Wow… Maybe Lee Seo-jun has something that works for kids.

=I know right. Baby mukbang, cheongryong, maybe he’ll help again.

=Then… There's Lee Seo-jun mukbang on Channel [JUN], would that work too?

=Oh! That was there! I don't know if it works, but I’ll try showing it anyway!

=Me too!!

That's how parents started to watch Channel [JUN]'s videos while wondering ‘Would this work too?’

***

After countless ads, [Chics in the Forest] episode 3 aired.

The first start was from the end of the last episode, when Jung Na-hee found the car.

-But Lee Seo-jun fans know that he's Lee Seo-jun's manager even if he says he's team leader 2?

=If you’re a fan for a few years, you get to know the company staff pretty well. ?Who's good and who's bad?

=??What is this??

=22 And team leader 2 has been team leader 2 since long ago and he's been with him for 12 years, so he's well known.

And then Seo-jun answered Park Ee-deun's question of why he came. It was a question that everyone was curious about.

-He said he was worried about the kids??

=He's really nice?

-Ha-rang is like a gum on Seo-jun???

=22 Ha-rang and Seo-jun's two-shot is so cute??

=Beauty, baby, animal, he has two of them.

=He also has chicks and rabbits, so he has all three??

The viewers laughed at the sight of the kids losing interest in Seo-jun and going to play elsewhere.

-The kids lose interest too fast??

-You guys will regret it 100% when you grow up???

=22 You should have stuck with him more??

They laughed again at Ha-rang dragging Seo-jun to the music class, and stuck out their tongues at [The Adventure of Flying Squirrel Pipo] puppet show.

It was just an ordinary puppet show, [The Adventure of Flying Squirrel Pipo], but it was transformed into a puppet show with audience participation by Seo-jun's suggestion.

-He's really wasting his talent???

=MOEB-436 He has the skills of a creator.

-I want to see it in person!

-A puppet show with audience participation?? It reminds me of Cheongryong??

-He knows exactly what kids like.

-The editing was good too?? My son was sleeping until the puppet show started, but then he was totally in audience mode??

=22 My daughter too, she clenched her hands and said yap yap! ??

=Will they upload this puppet show on YouTube?

As they were cleaning up the puppet show, the cuckoo clock rang.

5 p.m. The participants were nervous and the viewers remembered episode 2.

-Ah. I forgot about it until now because it was in variety mode.

=222 This is when the documentary starts??

Seo-jun and the participants started preparing for dinner.

The viewers were surprised to hear that Seo-jun had a Korean cuisine certificate from Park Ee-deun's words, and admired his skillful cooking skills.

-He can do anything! Our Seo-jun! He did well in cookbang too!

=22 I want to taste Seo-jun's cooking?

-I like the design of the refrigerator. It looks sleek.

=?? It looks good because Seo-jun is using it. He's scooping rice right now, does the rice cooker look good too?

=???(An image of holding a card and getting ready to pay)

=??????

-Breaking news) Choi ?? (my mom), looking for where to buy Lee Seo-jun's knife, cutting board, frying pan

=The ads are working well???

-Breaking news 2) Choi ??’s daughter (sprout), trying to stop her mom from buying them because they are from different companies than the ones in Lee Seo-jun's cookbang

=????Cookbang is real use and broadcast is sponsorship??

The cooking was over and it was time for the documentary again.

-Dudung! Will they eat today!

-They sat down at their seats with the power of Flying Squirrel Pipo.

=??But they look like they're going to run away any minute??

Then, seo-jun and Park Ee-deun moved on the screen. Their destination was the toy room. Their conversation was heard through the microphone.

“Can you imitate voice actors too?”

“If it's a voice I've heard often, I can.”

“You must have heard them, they're the most popular characters. One of them has been on air since we were kids.”

Park Ee-deun smiled and showed him a penguin doll and a bus-shaped doll.

-No…!

=Cheongryong and now President Cho? ???

-But can he really imitate voice actors??

=If it's Lee Seo-jun, it seems possible.

Seo-jun watched a video on his phone and imitated the voices of the two characters. Park Ee-deun clapped his hands and said ooooh. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

-Shivers…!

=If Lee Seo-jun did voice phishing, I would just fall for it.

=Why would Lee Seo-jun do voice phishing? ???

And then Seo-jun and Park Ee-deun came out.

Park Ee-deun took charge of controlling the dolls and Seo-jun took charge of the voices from a little distance away from the kids’ sight.

-Jangsanbeom (animation version)

=??Jangsanbeom who came to feed them rice ??

-Isn't he a master of voice imitation?

-The villain boss ?? He's working hard before he leaves ??

=He's doing well ???

-Oh! The kids are eating!

=They finally eat!

-But when Seo-jun leaves, they’ll go back to their original state.

=I know ??

-Uh? The kids are putting down their spoons!!

=Wow. They ate?

=Is that all they ate?!

-You have to eat more, kids ? Your body will get sick if you don't eat enough ?

=222 I know from experience ? You have to eat well no matter what ?

-Ha-rang doesn't eat either ?

=The smallest one ?

The scene showed Seo-jun and the four participants looking at each other and dropping their shoulders as the kids who put down their spoons got up one by one. The darkening sky and the heavy background music made the atmosphere even heavier.

[Chics in the Forest]

[Next week preview!]

-??It ends like this?

=What kind of variety show ends so gloomily?

=Wasn't this supposed to be a healing show??

-…It feels like online reality parenting…

=22 My heart is all suffocated.

=33 Normally, I would say starve them until they get hungry and feed them, but… They don't eat enough.

-This is a sign of replacement.

-Eat more, kids ?

Then, the preview started.

A cheerful music played. It was like a party atmosphere.

The camera zoomed out slowly from a close-up of Seo-jun sitting at a long vertical dining table and eating. The sides of the table were revealed as the screen zoomed out.

The kids were there.

They were eating more happily than ever before.

And the participants were also seen walking around with bright faces, helping the kids with their meals.

-…???

-Why is it suddenly a party atmosphere??

=It was depressing just a moment ago???

-Why are the kids suddenly eating so well?

=22 They didn't eat this happily even when Cheongryong was here. And the menu looks the same as before!

=…What happened in this short time?

-Next week will come? I've been waiting for it? The full video??

=22 I've been waiting for it all day today?? Next week's broadcast??

=??Wait?? What?

=33 I wish they uploaded it on YouTube… If not, I’ll have to pay for the replay??

=Oh. You don't know yet? The Lee Seo-jun mukbang video that came out this time also works!

=Really!? Thank you!

=…What? Am I the only one who doesn't know what's going on??

=??? I don't know either;;;

=What is it?? What's happening right now?